siyum

Last night we went to Dave & Buster's for Elazar's siyum.  He finished Mishna Maseches Megilla.  (And Jack listened to a lot of it, too.)  Ari learns with them on early Shabbos Friday Nights. 

I told Elazar to prepare a small speech and I saw him writing points down on a piece of paper and practicing/reviewing.  When we all got into the car, he delivered it.  It was two points, neither of them from Megilla; just two halachos he remembered. 

Then Ari asked the boys some questions from the Mishna.  They didn't remember most of those.  It got me thinking about testing and how to craft a test that would actually reflect what they learned and what they know.  Luckily, we could tell at the time of learning how engaged they were and if they were understanding it.  The goal of learning is, yes, the information.  But also the enjoyment, the bonding time, the experience of Torah She'Ba'al Peh, the sense of how mishna is structured, the Oral Law, how to analyze, how to think, and who knows what else.

We asked what he wanted to do for his siyum.  I thought it would be a restaurant or a visit to the candy store, but he wanted Dave & Busters.  It was difficult to wait ALL the way til Wednesday (half price day), but we celebrated with arcade games.  Everyone who lives at home came.  A good time was had by all.